


Nakama

by icemakestars



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Gen, Manga Spoilers, Mentions of Death, Minor Violence, poor babies, sad people are sad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-15
Updated: 2016-10-15
Packaged: 2018-08-22 14:59:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,171
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8289995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/icemakestars/pseuds/icemakestars
Summary: Erza intervenes in the battle between Gray and Natsu. She hates to be the bringer of bad news, but she knows that what she has to say is what they must hear to repair the broken bond between them.





	

**Author's Note:**

> BACK AT IT AGAIN WITH THE MANGA ANGST

“Get out of my way, Gray, or I will _end you_.”

“You don’t scare me, Natsu. Or END. Either way, you won’t win this.”

Erza only heard the latter part of the argument, but it was enough. Her cheeks were stained with blood and tears, images of Makarov’s final moments left her reeling in anguish. And yet she pressed on, showing no signs of physical pain despite the fracture in her ribs and the way her foot was at an angle ninety degrees out of the ordinary. 

The air around them became to steam, Gray’s hands in the stance for maker magic and flames already dancing over Natsu’s shoulders. As they charged at one another, Erza grabbed them both by the scruff of their necks, slamming their skulls together with a crash so violent it shook the ground that they stood on. 

“What the _hell_ do you think you’re doing?” She seethed, throwing both men to the ground. As Gray rolled back into a sitting position, Erza slammed her foot into his chest, winding him. She turned just in time to grab the fist Natsu was aiming at the back of her head, twisting his arm around and holding his writhing body against her torn and aching chest. 

When Gray stood again, Erza didn’t stop him. Instead, she acted as a barrier, ensuring that this fight would not continue further.

“Natsu is END.” Gray said, walking towards Erza and her captive. Natsu continued to struggle in her grip, his flames burning the skin on Erza’s hands and arms. She did not release him. She had long since surpassed any physical pains. Erza took a long and shaky breath before craning her neck to meet Gray’s eyes.

“I know that, I heard you call him such as I arrived.”

Anger flashed across Gray’s features, but he calmed himself enough to speak. “How can you stand their protect it like that?” 

One of the final things the former guild master ever said reared to the front of Erza’s mind, and she let out an involuntary sob.

_A guild is a **family**. Do not ever forget that._

_“_ Master Makarov gave his life moments ago so that we could all have a future.” She whispered.

Gray’s mouth hung open loosely, and Natsu fell still in her grip, his flames dispersing. Erza could feel herself crying again, but did not know how to stop. 

Despite the water rising to his eyes, Gray continued to approach Erza and END.

“That is irrelevant; END much be destroyed.” 

In a moment of rage, Erza push Natsu to his knees and and took a lunging kick at Gray, who staggered back at the blow.

“ _Irrelevant?_ That man put clothes on our back! He fed us, taught us magic, gave us a home when we had no where else to go, a family when we were alone in the world. You keep on calling Natsu a demon, but if you have already forgotten all that Master did for us then you are far more the demon, Gray.”

Gray staggered forward, eyeing up Natsu’s hunched and sobbing form. The black markings on his skin had almost completely vanished, but he seemed to be in a state of confusion, suspended somewhere between demon and human: the END part of him could not understand why he was so affected, but the Natsu part was paralysed with sorrow. 

“It’s our destiny, you wouldn’t understand-”

“Have you lost your _damn mind_? What happened to the Gray who grabbed the future that was in front of him? The one who was headstrong and honest, who protected his family at any cost?” Erza threw another punch that landed at the side of Gray’s chest. He wheezed out a trickle of blood.

“I haven’t got any family left. That _thing_ took away my parents, it took away the women who taught me magic, and now it’s taken Juvia as well.” 

Erza stared at him dumbly. “I always knew that you were stupid, but didn’t take you as an idiot as well. Fairy Tail is and always has been your family!” 

She grabbed Gray by the hair and dragged him to stand in front of her. He protested blindly, but Erza was lost in a pool of fury, betrayal and grief. Any pleas Gray might have been making fell onto her ears unnoticed.

“Look at him!” Gray stared at Natsu as Erza instructed, body going still. “That is the boy who risked his life on Galuna Island so that your nightmares would finally end. That is the boy who prevented you from using Iced Shell multiple times just because he couldn’t bare to see a world without you in it. During our battle with Tartaros, the thought of your demise forced him into Dragon Force, even though his magic was almost depleted. That is the boy who challenged you to a fight, day in and day out, because he respected you so much he wanted the glory of beating you. Dammit Gray, why can’t you see? That ‘thing’ is your oldest and closest friend! I understand the torment of allowed the demon END to live will surely bring you, but by killing that demon you’ll also be acting out the biggest sin of your life; taking Natsu from us all.” 

By the end of it, Gray was on his hands and knees, shivering with sobs. He cried for his parents, for the years they should have had and never got, He cried for Ur, the woman who became almost motherly to his fragile and grieving mind. He cried for Gramps, the man who raised him into the person he was today. And he cried for Juvia, who deserved far more love than he could ever give her. More than anything, he cried for Natsu. He may always refer to Natsu as his ‘biggest rival’, but that was only to hide the truth; Natsu was his best friend. Memories of their times together came crashing down on Gray all at once, and he realised why he had tried to hard to suppress them. 

Juvenile fights and challenges, some lasting for minutes and others for days. Fighting each other and beside each other, having complete and unwavering faith in each other’s abilities and limits. How much had they faced together? Demons, dark guilds, the deaths of guild mates and family members alike. And through all that pain and anguish and sorrow, Natsu was always there ebside Gray. Egging him on, winding him up. Bringing hope. Natsu was a ray of light which touched every member of the guild, and Gray had basked in his warmth more than most.

Slowly, Gray crawled his way over to Natsu. Not END. Not an enemy or a demon or a vile villain. Just his Natsu. 

“Gramps...” Natsu sobbed and shook, and Gray wrapped his arms around Natsu’s shoulders.

Erza joined the pair, draping herself over them as they all shed tears over the sorrow they had just faced, and the battle which was sure to come. 


End file.
